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American Dictionary of the English Language

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Time


TIME, noun [Latin tempus; tempora, the falls of the head, also tempest, etc. See Tempest. time is primarily equivalent to season; to the Gr.wpa in its original sense, opportunity, occasion, a fall, an event, that which comes.]

1. A particular portion or part of duration, whether past, present or future. The time was; the time has been; the time is; the time will be.

Lost time is never found again.

God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets. Hebrews 1:1.

2. A proper time; a season.

There is a time to every purpose. Ecclesiastes 3:1.

The time of figs was not yet. Mark 11:13.

3. Duration.

The equal and uniform flux of time does not affect our senses.

TIME is absolute or relative; absolute time is considered without any relation to bodies or their motions. Relative time is the sensible measure of any portion of duration, by means of motion. Thus the diurnal revolution of the sun measures a space of time or duration. Hence,

4. A space or measured portion of duration.

We were in Paris two months, and all that time enjoyed good health.

5. Life or duration, in reference to occupation. One man spends his time in idleness; another devotes all his time to useful purposes.

Believe me, your time is not your own; it belongs to God, to religion, to mankind.

6. Age; a part of duration distinct from other parts; as ancient times; modern times. The Spanish armada was defeated in the time of Queen Elizabeth.

7. Hour of travail.

She was within one month of her time

8. Repetition; repeated performance, or mention with reference to repetition. The physician visits his patient three times in a day.

9. Repetition; doubling; addition of a number to itself; as, to double cloth four times; four times four amount to sixteen.

10. Measure of sounds in music; as common time and treble time In concerts, it is all important, that the performers keep time or exact time

11. The state of things at a particular period; as when we say, good times, or bad times, hard times, dull times for trade, etc. In this sense, the plural is generally used.

12. In grammar, tense.

In time in good season; sufficiently early.

He arrived in time to see the exhibition.

1. A considerable space of duration; process or continuation of duration. You must wait patiently; you will in time recover your health and strength.

At times, at distinct intervals of duration. At times he reads; at other times, he rides.

The spirit began to move him at times. Judges 13:23.

TIME enough, in season; early enough.

Stanley at Bosworth-field, came time enough to save his life.

To lose time to delay.

1. To go too slow; as, a watch or clock loses time

Apparent time in astronomy, true solar time regulated by the apparent motions of the sun.

Mean time equated time a mean or average of apparent time

Siderial time is that which is shown by the diurnal revolutions of the stars.

TIME, verb transitive To adapt to the time or occasion; to bring, begin or perform at the proper season or time; as, the measure is well timed, or ill timed. No small part of political wisdom consists in knowing how to time propositions and measures.

Mercy is good, but kings mistake its timing.

1. To regulate as to time; as, he timed the stroke.

2. To measure; as in music or harmony.